Shark Survey

Commercial fishers and fishing business owners are being encouraged to complete a survey as part of research to assess the effectiveness of the NSW shark and rays identification guide.

The research project entitled ‘Shark Futures: sustainable management of the NSW whaler shark fishery’ is being led by Department of Primary Industries (DPI) shark scientists, Dr Vic Peddemors, and Dr Paul Butcher.

“We are asking commercial fishers and fishing business owners to take a few minutes to complete this survey to help provide us with further information to effectively manage the NSW shark fishery,” Dr Butcher said.

“The questionnaire will help us gain an overview of those people in the commercial fishing industry that could be using the ‘NSW sharks and rays identification guide’.

“We are after feedback from commercial fishing business owners and fishers on what should be added or removed from the guide to make species identification and catch reporting easier.

“The response to this survey, and to any question is completely voluntary but we value their input.

“The survey will take 5–10 minutes to complete and consists of 19 questions.

“Anyone who completes the survey will not be individually identified in any reports or scientific papers resulting from this research.”

Funding for the project is provided by DPI and the Fisheries Research & Development Corporation on behalf of the Australian government, with support from the University of Queensland and the IMOS Australian Animal Tagging & Monitoring System.

A copy of the ‘NSW sharks and rays identification guide’ was released in 2008 via hardcopy and is still available online at: http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries/commercial/fisheries/otl-fishery/identifying-sharks-and-rays

Please fill in a hard copy of this questionnaire and return using the stamped, addressed envelope enclosed or complete online at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SharkIdentificationGuideSurvey

The Survey should be completed by 31 May 2014.

For further details contact: Dr. Paul Butcher Fisheries NSW: (02) 6648 3910, E: paul.butcher@dpi.nsw.gov.au

 

Trout stocking effort debate continues

There’s been lots of feedback from my article ‘Snowy Trout Have Not Disappeared’.  This is one of the more interesting letters from Secretary of Jindabyne Branch of the Monaro Acclimatization society (MAS):

“Hi Rob, I read your article in the summit sum with much interest.

Putting it out there, while others are doing ‘OK’ I am one of the anglers who has had a very lean season on rainbows.  The worst in 7 years for me and I am scratching my head and asking some questions. I really believe it is time that the stocking of Lake Jindabyne had a major shakeup.

The brown trout fishery is fine, there are still plenty of good browns around for those who know where to find them.

My view on the rainbow trout stocking is pretty simple.

1. Stop stocking Brook Trout into the lake. There is no value in them to the recreational angler, they just do not return the catch rate compared to Rainbows and no one knows how much food they are consuming.  Put the Gaden hatchery resources being used on Brook Trout into increased production of rainbows.

2. Reduce the Atlantic Salmon stocking to minimum levels and concentrate resources on Rainbow production.

3. Change the stocking release techniques and improve the survival rate:

Last year the Monaro Acclimatisation Society pointed out that staff at Gaden Hatchery are breeching the DPI's own code of practice by lazy release techniques. Eg back the transporter up to the boat ramp and dump 20,000 fry into the lake only to have them get wiped out by seagulls and cormorants. There was a plan put in place to get volunteers to take over the lake release stocking but it fell over due to release times being in early January when volunteers were in short supply.

Besides MAS, there are reputable clubs in town that WILL also help, a few phone calls and a bit of planning and the hatchery has our co-operation. For example MAS have helped distribute 25,000 of the fry into the Thredbo River for the last 3 years and guides are reporting rising numbers of 1-2 year old fish.  Some of these fish will end up in the Lake, the river effectively forming a ‘grow out’ pond in that effect. Not to mention the joy they bring river anglers in the interim.

Meanwhile I have been working my butt off trying to find the rainbows in Lake Jindabyne.   I am trying to put my finger on what is going on with their feeding habits, they just seem to have shifted mode. Talking with a few of the local bait fisherman they appear to be moving around  more, one day they are in a particular bay and the next they are gone.The days of a spot being a regular producer seem to have gone.

There is good fishing, it just seems not quite as good, and experienced trout biologists and anglers agree that correct stocking techniques including spreading stocked fish out around snags, weed beds can mean the difference between happy anglers and those that head elsewhere where the fishing is better.

Anyway, that is my two bobs worth.  I am looking forward to seeing how the planned fisheries study plays out.  In the interim my colleagues and I from bait, lure and fly clubs in the region have put our hand up to help.

Regards, Eric Burns, Jindabyne”

Thanks Eric, my thoughts are:

Point 1 - Brookies are fun to catch, it took me years to get my first one, and now when they are stocked I usually get a few rippers. But the effort/cost and return needs to be considered.
Point 2 - Stocking small salmon is a waste of effort, they don’t grow, time has proven this in Lake Jindabyne. But a few stocked big ones spices up the fishing.
Point 3 - You’re on the money; release of fish has to be done properly.  Volunteers spreading trout around the lake correctly is the GO.

Importantly; regardless if anglers out there think the fishing is good or bad it is clear there are people like Eric who are keen to help Fisheries improve it (if possible)…that’s a good thing.

See you on the water.
Rob Paxevanos